Pro Bowl MVP Lorenzo Alexander had a season for the ages, literally.

The 33-year-old linebacker for the Buffalo Bills had his best statistical season at an age typically associated with players on the backend of their career.

The journeyman linebacker, who was the oldest member on the Bills roster this season, has a genuine passion for the sport. His drive to succeed, which has taken equal parts hard work, discipline and dedication, was forged on the high school gridiron under the tutelage of his high school defensive coordinator and mentor, Steve Moore.

After going undrafted in 2005, he had stints on multiple practice squads before making his NFL debut in 2007. Since then he has played tight end, offensive guard, defensive tackle and outside linebacker with six different NFL clubs.

Along the way, Alexander worked diligently to establish himself as a special teams player, making it to the 2012 Pro Bowl in this role.

However, his play on the defensive side of the ball was primarily relegated to spot duty as a reserve player. Prior to this season, the linebacker had nine career sacks. This season he compiled 12.5 sacks, which placed him third in the league.

During yesterday’s Pro Bowl, Alexander led the AFC defense with eight tackles while adding two pass deflections and a very timely redzone interception. His efforts earned him the game’s MVP Award, which he shared with Travis Kelce. 

Alexander’s long-journey from Oakland, Calif. to an All-Pro defensive linebacker in the NFL may not have been a success, were it not for the guidance he received from Moore, who was also his uncle.

“My uncle has been my coach pretty much my entire career—really like a father figure,” Alexander said to BuffaloBills.com. “My dad wasn’t initially around when I was younger, so he kind of filled that void for me. [He] instilled in me a lot of character that made me successful today—hard work, being accountable, perseverance [and] sacrifice.”

The years spent in high school heavily influence teenagers and mold them into the adults they ultimately become. Luckily for Alexander, he interacted with Moore every day. However, although his coach was a family member, it did not mean there was any favoritism. Alexander credited his uncle for instilling accountability, which fostered his leadership qualities and helped him become a star player at Saint Mary’s College High School in Berkeley, Calif.

“In high school…I came late to practice one day and there was a rule that you had to run five miles if you came late,” Alexander said to BuffaloBills.com. “I was a couple minutes late and I was an All-American and all that, but I had to run all five miles at practice. Those things I think really made [an impact] not only in my life, but [also the lives of the] people around him, that it doesn’t really matter what your resume is, you still have to put in the same work—hard work—if you want to be successful.”

Although the linebacker may be his most famous apprentice, Coach Moore influenced the lives of countless young men while imparting his wisdom and life lessons.

 “He’s coached for at least 30 years. As long as I’ve been alive, he’s been a football coach. That’s a lot of young men, in and out of high school, that he’s impacted and a lot of people come back and thank him all the time,” Alexander said to BuffaloBills.com.

It is yet another example of the influence and impact that high school coaches, and the sport of football, can have on the lives of young men throughout the nation.

 

Photo courtesy of Twitter - @BuffaloBills
Photo of Lorenzo Alexander (L) and his uncle, Coach Steve Moore (R)